Sun Ra--space-age prophet, Pharaonic jester, shaman-philosopher and avant-jazz keyboardist/bandleader--land his spaceship in Oakland, having been presumed lost in space for a few years. ...
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Storyline

Sun Ra--space-age prophet, Pharaonic jester, shaman-philosopher and avant-jazz keyboardist/bandleader--land his spaceship in Oakland, having been presumed lost in space for a few years. With Black Power on the rise, Ra disembarks and proclaims himself "the alter-destiny." He holds a myth-vs reality rap session with vblack inner-city youth at a rec center, threatening "to chain you up and take you with me, like they did you in Africa" if they resist his mplea to go to outer space. He duels at cards with The Overseer, a satanic overlord, with the fate of the black race at stake. Ra wins the right to a world concert, which features great performance footage of the Arkestra. Agents sent by the Overseer attempt to assassinate Ra, but he vanishes, rescues his people, and departs in his spaceship from the exploding planet Earth. Written by
Jim Newman <jnew@sirius.com>

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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director 'John Coney (I)', the film utilized a sound stage that was controlled by 'Artie Mitchell' and 'Jim Mitchell (IV)', who were concurrently filming Behind the Green Door (1972). The production teams from both films shared the sound stage expenses, as well as the sound stage itself: the riser on which the Arkestra performed was also used by the Mitchell Bros. for "other purposes." See more »

Quotes

[Drunk walks into Sun Ra's employment agency]
Drunk:
My man, what's happenin?
Sun Ra:
Everything is happenin.
Drunk:
What is this... I mean what... where am I? Who is you?
Sun Ra:
I am everything, and nuthin.
Drunk:
Nuthin? Well you betta tell me about this nuthin stuff, cause, uh, I need a job. I... I don't know what to do.
Sun Ra:
What have you been doin lately?
Drunk:
Uh huh uh, nuthin, really, nuthin.
Sun Ra:
How long have you been doing nuthin?
Drunk:
Quite some time. Quite some time.
[...]See more »

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User Reviews

Being able to see the Arkestra/Orchestra during this period is really wonderful. Certainly there are strange happening and moments, and the black nationalism may now be out of place. Worth it indeed for Sun RA and some Jazz fans.

3 of 7 people found this review helpful.
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